Means for preventing alterations of serial numbers



July 9 1935- T. ToRRlsoN 2,007,463

v MEANS FOR PREVENTING ALTERATIONS OF SERIAL NUMBERS Filed June 18, 1934 Invenior: To son..

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P15 inspection.

Patented July 9, 1935 l, 2,007,463

UNI-T1121); STATES `v PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR PREVENT-ING A'IVJTERATIONYS OF SERIAL NUR/[BEESV Theodore Torrson, Robbinsdale, Application June-1s, 1934, seria1N0.v31,0791 11 claims. (c1. L10-2.2)

This invention relates to means for discouragvmaterial such as tempered steel so that attempting the theft ofmachinery or apparatus such ed alterations will be more difficult to execute as motor vehicles, and the main object is to proand more readily detectable. The edges of the vide va device for containing, displaying, and plate `are preferably beveled, as at II, to meet 5 protecting an identification serial number or correspondingly beveled adjacent edges ofthe 5 other character whereby it'becomes extremelyT frame flange 5, provided with the plate recess,

Y difficult if not entirely impossible to change or and these adjoining edges may be covered with alter such identifying symbol or character, and `patches or a strip of paint or similar material thereby eliminating all trace of previous owneri2 to serve as a seal. Y l

l ship of the vehicle. And if an attempt is made The plate 9 is provided with a pair of depend- 10 to change the identification mark it can only be Aing dovetail lugs I3 which are cast in to a mountdone by leaving evidence of tampering such aS ing block IIB which maybe of relatively softer .will immediately become apparent toa prospecmaterial. 'Ihis'block I4 may be secured in the .tive purchaser '.or officer of the law upon casual Imachine to be identified in any suitable manner,

` Y `but I have here illustrated it as being provided Furtherand more detailed objects, both as to with a flange I5 by which it may be welded to purpose and structure, will be disclosed in the thegweb 1 of the channel member 5 1 so as to following specification, reference being had to becomey a permanent and rigid'part of it. It will the accompanying drawing, wherein:` j Y thus be understood that the plate 9 is cast into 2 0 Fig. 1 is a plan `view of the device with a porso as to form' apart of the block I4, and that to 20 Vtionrof the protecting cover ,housing broken away Secure the plate in its proper position it is necesfor purpose of illustration. Csaryto insert itV upwardly into the recess in the Fig. 2is a sectional elevation-on theV line 2-2 frame flange 5, and when in this position the in Fig; 1. Y welding of the block I 4 to the frame is effected.

.-2.5 Y Fig. 3 isla sectional plan view on the line 3-3 Upon its upper surface the plate 9 is provided 25 in Fig.l 2. Vwith a series of centering pegs I uponwhich is Fig. i is a detail, sectional elevation showing 'seated a casing I'I formed of glass or other suita modicationin certain features of vtheinvenable material which is sufficiently transparent so tion.V y that the characters or identifying symbols 8 may u Referring to the drawing more particularly .be Vread Ithrough it. The casing Il is provided 30 Y and by reference characters, A designates genwhen molded with a bridging member I8 which d erally the machine or apparatus to be identified, "preferably extends lengthwiserthrough the mateandin the case of a motor vehicle may be either rial formingA the top of the casing, and serves to the chassisframe or the engine block. For conconnect two posts I9 which extend downwardly x venience in illustration I have shown the iden- 1V within theside and end walls of the casing and 35 tiflcation bearing member as being a portion of project intoholes drilled in the lugs I3. The

i a channel iron frame member, the same havflower;` ends of the posts I9 are tubular in form ing an upper flange 5,12. lower flange 6, and an and may alsoY be radially split so that they may intermediateweb "I, the latter of whichis broken easily be spread orflared outwardly so as to beaway and vertically shortened in Fig. 2. come permanently and non-removably anchored 40 TheV serial number rand other identification t in the lugs I3.r To this end the post holes are characters, designated generally by the numeral widened at their lowerrextremities, as shown at .8, are preferably ground or cut into the upper 20, andbefore the posts are inserted and forced fsurface offa plate 9. lSaid surface is preferably downwardly into place a small member such as ,45 unpainted, and, as an additional precaution av bearing ball 2| is first inserted so that as the V45 against unauthorized tampering, may be ,pro- .posts are forced into place the tubular and split vided with closely associated linesfIIl, which are ,lower ends will be automatically spread into engraved with an abrasiveV wheel, andWh-ich will anchoring position so as to effect the permanent by breaks or irregularities show, upon careful exattachmentV referred to. It may here be noted 50. amination, if originally cut characters have been that if the post holes are to be formed in the altered. These lines may alsov extend beyond plate structure before the same is cast into the the plate surface and tor the adjoining frame .block I4, it will be necessary to stop the flow of flangesurface, but are here illustrated as extendblock metal into the post holes, and for that ingover the plate surface only. reason I have provided the lower ends of the 5,5 ."Ivhe plate 9 is made of `a comparatively hard lugs with shields 22 'which may be of thin sheet 55 metal, and are fitted in place over lthe lugs so as to close the post holes against entry of the molten metal therein.

A modification of the anchoring means is shown in Fig. 4, wherein it is illustrated how post holes in the lugs may be eliminated by placing socket members 23 above the plate surface and connecting them thereto by webs or standards 24, which are cast integrally therewith. The advantage of this structure over that shown in Fig. 2 is tha-t it positively precludes the removal of the anchor posts by drilling upwardlyV into the post holes from the bottom surface of the block I4, except of course by destroying the standards 24, in which event the tampering would immediately be noticeable through the casing I1.

The anchor posts I9, as already indicated, form a fixed part of the casing I1, and as the lower ends of the posts engage the balls 2l and spread outwardly the lower edges of the casing proper simultaneously move down upon the centering pins I6 and become firmly and closely seated against the upper surface of Ithe plate.

To prevent fracturing of the casing it is of course necessary to apply the hammering or forcing pressure directly upon the metallic anchor posts, and for that reason the upper ends of the posts project beyond the upper surface of ythe casing I'I, as indicated at 25. These exposed ends are reduced in size, as illustrated, and the purpose of this arrangement is to prevent removal of the casing by drilling downwardly into the posts 25 so as to sever its connection with the lower portions of the posts. It will be seen that if the posts were of the same diameter throughout their length, then a drill of the same diametermight be used effectively to remove the casing. However, with the exposed ends of the posts of reduced size, a drill of such lesser diameter cannot be effectively employed to shear the anchoring connection without at least first rupturing the casing material, and when this is done it provides the necessary visible evidence that tampering has been attempted.

It may here also be noted that as a further effective measure to discourage tampering, it may be advisable to secure upon the under surface of the casing top or even imbed in the casing material, a seal of distinctive character that would be very diiiicult to reproduce; and would thus further discourage tampering inasmuch as there would be a lesser tendency for inclination to remove the casing entirely and replace it by a substitute or counterfeit casing.

It may here further be noted that the casing I'I is preferably secured after the plate 9 has been mounted in its recess, and that at least one wall of the casing will cover one joint or seam between the plate 9 and the adjacent flange portion 5, as indicated at 26, so that it will be extremely difficult to remove the identification plate downwardly through the recess, assuming of course that the block I4 has first been cut away or detached from the channel member 1. It will thus be seen that Very effective measure are provided for the safeguarding of the machine identifying number, and consequently will greatly discourage the theft of automobiles by such persons or groups of persons as make a practice of stealing motor vehicles, changing the serial numbers thereon, and then reselling the machines.`

Inasmuch as the casing I'I must be of transparent material such as glass, and is therefore subject to accidental breakage, I have provided p a, housing 21 which entirely encloses the casing and is detachably secured to the frame 5-1 as by bolts 28 and thumb screws 29.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the Vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means including anchor posts for permanently attaching the casing to the plate, said plate having downwardly flared sockets for receiving the lower ends of the posts, and means for spreading such lower post ends laterally when they are forced into the sockets.

2. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means including anchor posts for permanently attaching the casing to the plate, said plate having downwardly fiared sockets for receiving the lower ends of the posts, and means for spreading such lower post ends laterally when they are forced into thesockets, said last mentioned means including a spreader member disposed centrally of and within each. of the sockets.

3. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means including anchor posts for permanently attaching the casing to the plate, said plate having downwardly flared sockets for receiving the lower ends of the posts, and means for spreading such lowerv post ends, laterally when they are forced into the sockets, said last mentioned means including a spreader ball in each socket.

4. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a transparent casing arranged on said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means permanently connecting the casing and plate including a post extending from one and a socket in the other receiving the post, and means for spreading the post in the socket to form a connection permanent except by mutilation of some part of the device.

5. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a transparent casing arranged on said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means permanently connecting the casing and plate including a post extending from one and a socket in the other receiving the post, and means for spreading the post in the socket to form a. permanent connection therebetween, said casing having recesses and said plate having centering pins engageable in the recesses.

and the like comprising a plate permanently fixed to a part of the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a transparent casing arranged on said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means permanently connecting the casing and plate including a post extending from one and a socket in the other receiving the post, and a removable housing attached to said vehicle part and enclosing the casing.

7. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently xed tothe vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means including anchor posts for permanently attaching the casing to the plate, said plate having downwardly flared sockets for re-v ceiving the lower ends of the posts, and means for spreading such lower post ends laterally when they are forced into the sockets, said casing being of transparent fracturable material, and said posts extending outwardly of the casing for receiving pressure to force them into the sockets without fracturing the casing.

8. An identiiication device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently fixed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identication characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, and means including anchor posts for permanently attaching the casing to the plate, said plate having downwardly flared sockets for receiving the lower ends of the posts, and means for spreading such lower post ends laterally when they are forced into the sockets, said posts having exposed ends projecting outwardly of the casing and reduced in cross sectional area where thus projected.

9. An identification device for motor vehicles and the like comprising a plate adapted to be permanently xed to the vehicle and having an exposed surface bearing identification characters, a casing superimposed over said plate surface and through which said characters may be read, a pair of posts extending from the casing for anchorage attachment to the plate, and a bridging member connecting said posts, said bridging member being imbedded within the material of the casing.

10. A device of the character described comprising a base block for permanent attachment to a vehicle, an identication plate having lugs xed in the material of the block, and a fracturable, transparent casing secured over the plate, said casing and plate being secured together by anchorage posts permanently xed in both.

l1. A device of the character described comprising a base block for permanent attachment to a vehicle part, an identification plate having lugs fixed in the material of the block, and a fracturable, transparent casing secured over the plate, said casing and plate being secured together by anchorage posts permanently xed in both, and a removable housing attached to said vehicle part and enclosing the casing.

THEODORE TORRISON. 

